Duinuen

Church of Saint Duinuen

Duinuen ( V century ) - holy , Welsh virgin, Memorial Day - January 25 .

St. Dwynwen, or Dwyn, or Donwen, or Donwenna, according to legend, was the daughter of King Brihan of Brecknock . She lived in Anglesey (: Anglesey), and places like Llanddwyn and Porthddwyn resemble her name to this day.

St. Duinuen is considered the Welsh patroness of lovers, as well as sick animals.

According to legend, Duinuen fell in love with a young man named Maelon, but rejected his harassment. Traditions diverge significantly in the further description of events, although their completion is the same for all of them. According to one legend, she was abducted by Mylon and prayed for help. According to another, she could not marry due to a ban from her father and prayed that she would forget her lover. An angel brought her a potion. Mylon drank it and turned into ice. St. Duinuen prayed three times, seeing what happened to Mylon, about his rescue.

Since then, according to legend, through her prayers, the Lord God watches over the lovers.

She herself remained a virgin and retired to solitude on the island of Inis-Llanduin (Llanddwyn Island), which is on the west coast of Anglesey, and remained a hermit there until her death approx. 460 years .

Her temple in Llanduin became an important tomb in the Middle Ages . Its holy source, the movement of fish in which, according to legend, testifies to the destiny of lovers, has become a place of pilgrimage.

St. Duyuen (Dydd Santes Dwynwen) is celebrated on January 25 . It is considered as the Welsh day of St. Valentine, whose popularity has been growing since the 1960s, as the day when people send postcards to each other, concerts and evenings are held.